Draft-gear yoke



G. C. MURRAY.

DRAFT GEAR YOKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. H, 1919.

1,388,878. Patented Aug. 3o, 1921. j /7 l UNITED STATES GEORGE C.MURRAY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. j

.L :DRAFT-Gitan YoxE.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. MURRAY, a citizenvof the United States,residing at Chi cago in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Gear Yokes, ofwhich the followin is a specication.

This invention re ates to improvements in draft gear yokes and itspurpose is to provide a yoke having an improved form of movable blockfor engaging a shoulder of the coupler butt. In lthe present form of theinvention a movable block is provided at the forward end of the yoke andthis block is adapted to be tilted forwardly iabout its lower edge to aposition wherein it enga-ges the lower shoulder of the coupler butt,after which a key or bolt is inserted through the side walls of the yoketo retain the block in its upright position. Thevarious objects andadvantages of the inventionwill appear more fully hereinafter. y

The nature of the invention will be understood from` the followingspecification taken with the 'accompanying'drawings in which one form isillustrated.

In the drawingsv Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the coupler butt andyoke with theforward end of the'yoke illustrated in vertical section onthe line 1-1of Fig.` 4; Y

Fig. 2 shows a top plan view ofthe yoke with the forward end thereofillustrated in horizontal section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 -shows a partial side elevation vof the forward end of the yoke;and Y I t Y Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through the shank ofthecoupler butt illustrating the forward end of the yoke in elevation.

The yoke 10 has upper and lower arms or walls 11 and 12, respectively,which are united attheir rear ends by the integral rear wall 13. Theupper and lower arms are united at their forward ends by integral sidewalls 14 thus forming a hood or closure at the'forwardA end of the yoke.The upper arm 11 terminates at its forward end in a transverse integralshoulder 15 adapted to coact with the shoulder 16 of the, coupler butt.17 The lower surface of the coupler butt 17 is adapted to rest directlyupon the lower wall 12, at the point 18,.- From the Y Application ledDecember 11, 1919. ySerial No. 344,054;

` Specification of Letters Patent. lPated A112530, V1921;

point 18, the lower wall12 is `inclined downwardly andcforwardly asshown at 19 and it then extends yhorizontally ina forward direction `asshown atv 20.` The I partl'2()v terminates in an upwardly `directedytransverse shoulder or flange22 and the shoulder 22 terminates 'at itsends in upwardly di`- rected lugs' or lflanges 23 whichv are formedintegrally with the side walls 14. The depression 21 which is formed'beneath the coupler butt isy adapted to contain a movable block 25 fwhich is retained within the f depression 21 during the insertion 'ofthe coupler butt. The `block 25 is substantially rectangular incross-section'but is rounded at its lower edge 25a and -is adaptedtotilt upon the rounded surface which is formed at thev junction oftheshoulder 22 withthe part 20 of the lower wall.,

During the assemblingfof the yoke and` coupler butt, the block 25occupiesa horil- -zontal position resting on the part 2O, as`

illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the coupler butt is thentilted in a vertical planefby lowering the shank 17v in 4order to permitthe part to slide inwardly beneath the shoulder 15. After the `couplerbutty has been moved rearwardly to a positionillustrated by the dottedlines in Fig; 1, the block 25 is tiltedupwardly about its lower edgeuntil it seats against the-shoulder22 'andthe lugs 23. This movement ofthe blockvis conveniently effected "by yinserting a tool through theyaperture 27 which is formed through the part 20 adjacent the lowerextremity of the inclined part 19. --Afterbe` ing tilted upwardly, theblock 25 is heldin its normal position by means of a key lor bolt 28 ofrectangular cross-section. block 25 is provided adjacent the lower edgewith: a ilongitudinally exending aperture 29 of rectangular crosssectionand when the block is in itsk upright position, this aperture 29 isadaptedl to register with other ap- The ertures 30k which are formedthrough the side walls v14. The bolt 28 isthen inserted until'thehead28a thereof` engages oney of the side walls 14: and a cotter pin 31, orthe 10o 3 like is passed through an aperture which` is formed in thebolt 28 adjacentv the other 'y i side wall 14. In thisway the block 25is heldsecurely in its normal position and-is walls.`

adapted to coaet with the lower shoulder of the coupler butt when thelatter is in its normal forward position. The coupler butt restsdirectly upon and is supported entirely by the lower wall of-the yokeduring the normal compression and expansion of the draft gear and themovable block 25 is relieved of all strains except the forwardlydirected force imparted thereto by the coupler butt andV transmittedthereby to theA block mounted adjacent the vother varm and adapted to'betilted upwardly and forwardly about its loweredge into a position toengage the other shoulder of said butt, and means passing through saidblock and through the walls of said hooded ends to prevent a reversetilting movement of said block.

2. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and a hoodedforward end,of a drawbar having a shouldered butt adapted to be receivedwithinsaid hooded end, means carried by one of said arms to engage oneshoulder of said butt, a movable block mounted adjacent the other armrand adapted to be tilted into a position to engage the other shoulderof said butt, and a` bolt adapted to form a non-rotatable engagementwith said block and with the walls of said hooded end in the axis of thetilting movement of said block to hold said block'in buttengagingposition.

' The vcombination with a yoke having upperand lower'arms and side wallsforming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shouldered butt radapted to be received within said yoke, a flange carried at the forwardend of saidr upper arm to engage the upper shoulder of said butt, asecond flange carried at' the forward end of said lower arm, aA blockadapted to rest upon said lower arm beneath said butt during theinsertion of said butt into said yoke and to be tilted into a positionagainst said second-named flange after said butt has been inserted, 'anda key pass- .ing through said block in the aXis of its tilting movementand through the said side ing a shouldered butt adapted to be'receivedwithin said yoke, a flange carried at the forward end of said upper armto engage the `upper shoulder of said butt, a second flange 'forward endof said butt.

5. The combination with a yoke having upper and lower arms and sidewalls forming a hooded forward end, of a drawbar having a shoulderedbutt adapted to be received within said yoke, a flangecarried at theforward end, of said upper arm to engage the upper shoulder of saidbutt,'a second flange carried at the forward end of said .lower arm, ablock adapted to rest upon said lower arm beneath said butt during theinsertion of said butt into 'said yoke and to be tilted into a positionagainst said second-namedv lange after said butt has been inserted, saidblock having a longitudinal aperture therethrough adjacent its loweredge, said side walls having apertures adapted-.torregiste'r with theaperture in said block,' and a holt adapted to form a non-rotatableengagement a shouldered butt adapted to be received within said hoodedend, a flan'gecarried-at theforward end of said upper arm to engage theupper shoulder of said butt, a `second flange carried at the forwardendof said lower arm, a block adapted to vunderlie said f butt during theinsertion of saidbutt into said yoke and tobe tilted upwardly andforwardly about its lower edge until it seats against said second-namedflange, said block in said last-named position being adapted to engagethe lower shoulder of said butt, said block having longitudinalapertures therethrough adjacent its lower edge,said side wallshaving'apertures therethrough adapted to register with the aperture inlsaid block, all of said Aapertures being of non-circular cross-section,and ajbolt adapted to fit all of said apertures. f i y 7. Thecombination with a vyoke having upper and lower arms and side wallsforming a hooded forward end, of adrawbar having a shouldered buttadapted'to be received within said hooded end, aY flange carried at theAforward end of said-upper arm to engage the uppershoulder` of saidbutt, 'Ha-second flange carried at the forward end of said lower arm, ablock adapted torest upon said lower arm beneath said butt during theinsergaging the side Walls of said yoke, said key 1 tion of said buttinto said yoke and to be being adapted to holdsaid block in either titedinto position against said second operative or-inoperative position. 10named iange after said butt has been in- In testimony whereof, I havesubscribed 5 serted to' engage the lower shoulder 'of said my name.

butt, and a key passing through said block in the axis of its tiltingmovement and en- GEORGE C. MURRAY.

